Black Lung Program

Federal Benefits

Black Lung Benefits Program (Black Lung Program)

Monthly benefits and medical coverage for coal miners; survivors file for continued benefits

When someone dies Survivor benefits Forms

The Black Lung Benefits Program, administered by the Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation (DCMWC) within the Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, pays monthly cash benefits and medical coverage to coal miners who are totally disabled by pneumoconiosis ("black lung disease") arising out of coal mine employment, and monthly benefits to eligible surviving family members of miners whose deaths are attributable to the disease. The program operates under the Black Lung Benefits Act (30 U.S.C. § 901 et seq.). Benefits are paid by the responsible coal mine operator (or its insurer) under Part C of the Act, or by the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund when no operator is liable. Survivors of miners already entitled to benefits on a lifetime claim may be automatically eligible under expedited procedures.

Notifying the Black Lung Program when someone dies

A family member reports the death. Black Lung Program's page on what to do after a death →

Stop using the miner's Medical Benefits Identification Card and pharmacy card. Medical benefits end at the miner's death.

Gather what the survivor's claim on Form CM-912 needs:

•A certified copy of the death certificate identifying the cause of death
•Marriage certificate; birth certificates for dependent children, and school records for those 18 and over
•Names and addresses of the hospitals, physicians and any autopsy provider who treated the miner
•The miner's coal mine employment history and any prior state or federal workers' compensation award or denial

File Form CM-912 with the supplemental Employment History, Form CM-911a. The same form reports the death when the miner was already receiving benefits:

•Online through the C.O.A.L. Mine Portal at coalmine.dol.gov
•By mail to the Central Mailroom, U.S. Department of Labor OWCP/DCMWC, P.O. Box 8307, London, KY 40742-8307
•At a DCMWC district office or a Social Security office, whose staff can help complete the forms
•Dependent parent, brother or sister: file proof of support within 2 years of the miner's death

Send any medical report on the miner's respiratory or pulmonary condition, and related test results, to all parties, including DOL, within 30 days of receiving it.

Request reconsideration or a hearing before an administrative law judge if the Proposed Decision and Order denies the claim. The claimant never pays attorney's fees; the liable operator or the Trust Fund pays them when the claim is approved.

Submit Standard Form SF-1199A through the C.O.A.L. Mine Portal or to the Central Mail Room for direct deposit, or enroll in the Treasury's Direct Express card when the survivor has no bank account. Payment is electronic only.

Required Documents

Form CM-912: Fully completed.
Form CM-911a, Employment History: The supplemental form required with Form CM-912.
Death certificate: A certified copy of the miner's death certificate, identifying the cause of death.
Marriage certificate: for a surviving spouse claim
Birth certificates: for dependent children
School enrollment records: for dependent children age 18 or older, if claiming augmentation
Names and addresses of the miner's physicians, hospitals and autopsy providers: Every physician, hospital and autopsy provider who treated or evaluated the miner.
Prior workers' compensation awards or denials: Copies of any prior state or federal award or denial related to the miner's disability or death.
Coal mine employment history: Employer names, dates, locations and job titles.

Deadlines1

Proof of support from a dependent parent, brother or sister: within 2 years of the miner's death, unless the time is extended for good cause^{1, 2, 3}

What Black Lung Program pays or provides to survivors2

Survivor's Monthly Black Lung Benefits

Monthly survivor benefit or annuity

Monthly cash benefits for eligible survivors of a coal miner whose death was due to or hastened by pneumoconiosis ("black lung disease"), or who had a final award on a claim filed on or after January 1, 1982, where the survivor's claim was filed after January 1, 2005 and pending on or after March 23, 2010.^{4, 5, 3}

Who qualifies: Surviving spouse, surviving divorced spouse, dependent child, dependent parent, or dependent brother or sister. A surviving spouse or surviving divorced spouse must be unmarried and must have been dependent on the miner at the pertinent time.

Amount: 2026: $793.60 a month under Part C and $793.00 under Part B for a single primary beneficiary. Rates are 37.5% of the base salary of a federal employee at GS-2, Step 1, and rise with the GS pay scale.

How to apply: File Form CM-912 with the supplemental Employment History, Form CM-911a, through the C.O.A.L. Mine Portal, by mail to the Central Mailroom, or at any DCMWC district office. A DOL or SSA representative can help complete the forms. Form CM-912.

Augmentation for Additional Dependents

Monthly survivor benefit or annuity

When a primary survivor beneficiary supports additional qualified dependents, such as dependent children of the deceased miner, the monthly benefit rises by 50% for one dependent, 75% for two and 100% for three or more. The same tiers apply to Part B and Part C claims.^{5, 6, 7, 1}

Who qualifies: Primary survivor beneficiary with one or more additional qualified dependents meeting the relationship and dependency tests in 20 CFR Part 725, Subpart B.

Amount: In 2026, Part C / Part B: one dependent $1,190.30 / $1,190.00; two dependents $1,388.70 / $1,388.00; three or more dependents $1,587.10 / $1,587.00 a month.

How to apply: Identify dependents on Form CM-912 and provide supporting documentation, such as a marriage certificate, children's birth certificates and school enrollment for dependent children over 18. Form CM-912.

What happens to each matter1

Health coverage

DCMWC provides eligible miners with medical coverage for the treatment of lung diseases related to pneumoconiosis. The coverage ends at the miner's death and does not transfer to a survivor; survivors who qualify receive only the monthly cash benefit.⁸

A deceased miner's Medical Benefits Identification Card should not be used after death. During 2026 DCMWC is reissuing these cards to current claimants along with a new pharmacy card from Optum, its new Pharmacy Benefits Administrator.⁹

What Black Lung Program's rules say8

Who reports the death

The Black Lung Program does not receive automated death notices. A surviving spouse, child, dependent parent or eligible dependent sibling of the miner must file Form CM-912 with DCMWC.⁴

Form CM-912 serves both purposes. Its cover text states: "if you are a survivor of a person who was receiving Federal black lung benefits, this is a Survivor's Notification of the Beneficiary's Death. Otherwise, this is a claim for survivor's benefits."¹⁰

Processing and payment

There is no time limit on filing a survivor's claim, and an approved survivor's benefit is payable beginning with the month of the miner's death, so a delayed filing does not forfeit months of benefits.^{11, 12}

A survivor's claim goes through an evidence-development phase before DCMWC issues a Proposed Decision and Order. If the miner was already entitled on a lifetime claim, DCMWC may use expedited procedures, but the survivor must still file Form CM-912; payments do not start automatically.⁴

For survivors of miners not already entitled on a lifetime claim, DCMWC develops medical evidence to decide whether pneumoconiosis caused or hastened the death. It may ask a physician of its choosing to review the evidence; the survivor may obtain medical evidence from a physician of their own choosing.⁴

All Black Lung claim forms and correspondence go to the DCMWC Central Mailroom. Documents can also be submitted through the C.O.A.L. Mine Portal, which is faster and avoids postal delays.^{13, 14}

Part B benefits, on claims originally approved by Social Security, are received around the 3rd of each month. Part C benefits, paid by the responsible coal mine operator or the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, are received around the 15th.⁵

Payment is electronic only. Executive Order 14247 ended paper checks, and OWCP stopped issuing them starting September 30, 2025. A beneficiary without a bank account can enroll in the Treasury's Direct Express prepaid debit card program.^{15, 16}

Form SSA-581 now covers the miner's entire wage history from age 16 on a single form. Blank or signature-only forms are not accepted, and a completed form must not be sent directly to Social Security.¹⁷

Appeals and disputes

DCMWC issues a "Schedule for the Submission of Additional Evidence" describing its preliminary review, then a "Proposed Decision and Order" explaining the approval or denial. The decision lists the options to request reconsideration or a hearing before an administrative law judge.⁴

Fees

If the claim is approved, attorney's fees are paid by the liable coal mine operator or the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, not by the claimant. A claimant is not liable for attorney's fees if the claim is denied.⁴

Help with filing and representation

An attorney is not needed to file a survivor's claim. A DCMWC or Social Security representative can help with the application at no cost.⁴

Order of beneficiaries or payees

The survivor classes are ranked: a parent is not entitled if the miner was survived by a spouse or child, and a brother or sister is not entitled if the miner was survived by a spouse, child or parent.³

Offsets between benefits

The benefit is offset if the beneficiary also receives certain state or federal workers' compensation awards.⁴

What the agency does and does not handle

If a coal mine operator, usually the last one that employed the miner for at least one year, meets the criteria for responsibility, that operator or its insurance carrier pays the survivor benefit. Otherwise the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund pays it.⁴

The Black Lung Disability Trust Fund is a federally administered trust funded primarily by an excise tax on coal. DCMWC adjudicates which entity is liable as part of processing the claim.⁴

Forms Black Lung Program issues5

CM-912: Survivor's Form For Benefits Under The Black Lung Benefits Act

Serves as the Survivor's Notification of the Beneficiary's Death when the miner was already receiving benefits, and otherwise as the claim for survivor's benefits.^{10, 18, 19}

Completed by a surviving spouse, surviving divorced spouse, dependent child, or dependent parent or sibling of the miner. Available to download.

CM-911a: Employment History

Supplemental form required with both miner and survivor claims. It documents the miner's coal mine employment history and any non-coal-mining work, used to identify the responsible operator.^{20, 18}

Available to download.

CM-911: Miner's Claim For Benefits Under The Black Lung Benefits Act

Filed by an active or retired coal miner to claim monthly Black Lung disability benefits and medical coverage during their lifetime. Survivors file Form CM-912 instead.^{18, 19}

Completed by the miner. Available to download.

SSA-581: Authorization to Obtain Earnings Data from the Social Security Administration

Authorizes DCMWC to obtain Social Security earnings records to verify the miner's coal mine employment history. DCMWC sends it after it receives a claim, for review, signature and return to DCMWC.¹⁷

Completed by the claimant or the claimant's representative.

SF-1199A: Direct Deposit Sign Up Form

Sets up electronic payment for a beneficiary not already set up for it. It is submitted through the C.O.A.L. Mine Portal or to the Central Mail Room.¹⁵

Other agencies and offices involved4

Social Security Administration: Staff help complete the forms; a claim filed at a Social Security office is forwarded to DCMWC^{3, 4}
DCMWC district offices: Claims for assigned states: Charleston, WV; Columbus, OH; Greensburg, PA; Pikeville, KY; and a Denver, CO field office²¹
Phone: 1-800-347-2502
TTY: 1-877-889-5627
Acentra: The new Medical Benefits Identification Card, for claimants who had not received it by August 31, 2026⁹
Phone: 1-866-272-2682
Optum, Pharmacy Benefits Administrator: The new pharmacy card, for claimants who had not received it by September 10, 2026⁹
Phone: 1-855-924-4688